


On The Border

by ManOfManyPairings



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Jakeward, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-06
Updated: 2013-01-05
Packaged: 2017-11-23 21:03:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/626495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManOfManyPairings/pseuds/ManOfManyPairings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After loss and suffering threaten to overwhelm the two men who loved Bella the most, both find solace in unlikely places. Set after Twilight, before New Moon. Jakeward.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rendezvous

  
**Chapter 1**  


Jacob Black sprinted through the dark forest, his giant tongue lolling to the side. His paws connected with rich earth and transferred sheer power to each of his four legs, propelling him forward like a rocket slicing its way through a verdant universe. This was his first time on patrol, and even though he outwardly voiced his apathy for the old wives' tales that were ingrained into the minds of all Quileute younglings, subconsciously he couldn't wait to fulfill his role as protector of his people, the shield of his homeland.

Sure, Sam had given him the graveyard shift, and since the part of the forest he had been sent to was always deserted and isolated, he was pretty sure that nothing interesting would happen. But the feeling of importance and purpose still overwhelmed him, and made his legs push even harder toward his destination.

As the wind raced over his face and made his chocolate brown fur ripple like ocean waves, he couldn't help but think about whether he would ever get used to shifting. This was one of the first times he had stayed in wolf form for longer than an hour. After the Cullens had chased James down and killed him, along with his red-headed mate, Sam had seen little reason to ramp up security. Unlike most of the pack, Sam actually trusted the vegetarian leeches, and thus had taught the new wolves only the most basic rules and techniques.

Jacob's pace slowed, wincing at the thought of James and Victoria.

_Bella._

It always hurt to think about his best friend. The Cullens had killed the trackers, but had been too late to save Bella. According to Carlisle, she had just enough strength to give Edward the choice: he could alleviate her suffering by drinking the rest of her blood, or he could change her into a vampire. Allegedly, with her blessing, he chose the first option. At the meeting the Cullens had met with the pack to tell them the horrible news, and Edward had looked hollow, empty. The only time he spoke was when he mumbled, "She said that she'd see me in heaven." Jacob felt a slight twinge of pity, and immediately crushed it. He wanted to kill that disgusting creep. How dare he take Bella away from everyone she loved? From Charlie, from Renée... from Jacob.

He growled with bitter hatred as his gait slowed further; he saw that his destination was close. His heart ached at the loss of his best friend, a friend that he hardly got to know before their time was abruptly cut short.

**XXXX**

Bells had spent most of her time with the vampires, but there was one day when she had snuck out to La Push without telling them. This had been about a week before Jacob came down with "wolf fever," and they had spent the entire day sharing jokes, hopes, fears, dreams. Bella told him that she thought she loved Edward, despite what she knew he was.

At the time, Jake had scowled, not knowing that his tribe's strange fireside tales were completely true. He had no doubt that the Cullens were vampires; Carlisle and his father had met to discuss the treaty before, and the whole tribe could see that they weren't human. But since no threat had arisen, the wolf gene had stayed dormant, and most assumed  _that_ aspect of the legend to be fiction.

Though he understood the danger behind any relationship she maintained with Edward (what with him probably wanting to eat her), Jacob had nodded and said that no matter who she settled down with, he would always be her friend. He may not like it, but he'd be there for her nonetheless.

They had sprawled on the beach, looking up at the grey sky and continuing to talk about anything and everything. Finally, Bella asked, "Jake, do you love me?"

He was stumped by this question, because the answer was so complex. He loved Bella, absolutely. But did he love her in the romantic, "partner" sense, or in just a loyal, friendly sense? He simply didn't know for sure, so he said, "Yes, but it's complicated. I'll love you however you want me to love you." She had laid her head on his shoulder, and they had embraced for a long while until it finally came time for her to leave.

"I love you, Jacob."

"I love you too, Bella."

**XXXX**

Jacob was walking now, blinking back tears from his large canine eyes at the painful recollection. He gnashed his teeth and looked around before letting out a small whimper. He was grateful that nobody else in the pack was in wolf form at the moment, which delayed the relentless verbal abuse he'd probably endure for crying. He knew that the pack used insults and jokes to lighten the mood and make each other feel better, but sometimes he wished that he had a lockbox in which to keep some of his thoughts. It sucked not having anything completely to yourself.

He reached the small clearing that was to be his post for the next few hours. Starting tonight, Sam had ordered a one night practice patrol of the territory: partially to give the new wolves some experience, and partially to keep an eye out for the chance (however slim) of any of James' friends showing up to exact revenge. Carlisle had taken well to the idea, citing the welfare of the people of Forks and the importance of being prepared. He had set up identical patrol stations on the leech side of the border, and Sam informed everyone that they would meet their new "bloodsucker buddy" at their post, one at a time. Since this was the best line of defense in an emergency, Sam ordered that they all take this seriously. If anything suspicious occurred, or any rogue vampire were to appear, this patrol would go into effect nightly, and he wanted to make sure everyone knew the drill.

No one was really looking forward to it, but at the same time everyone was fascinated: they'd never spent any significant amount of time with the bloodsuckers, and wanted to see what they were like (albeit mostly for the sake of finding different ways to kill one). Jake had the third shift, and based on the broken dialogue in his head hours ago, he knew that Paul had partnered with Carlisle, and Embry was teamed up with Alice. He saw no reason to speculate about whom he might be paired with, but Quil and Paul were taking bets on it. Whoever it was, he was putting his money on the odds that he would hate it regardless.

Jacob looked at the moon, seeing how much time had elapsed. He seemed to be on time. He sat and waited, his ears perked up and his face tilted upwards. A rabbit scurried by, returning to its warren for the night. A breeze picked up, rustling the green leaves and brushing the pine needles together. The summer air was humid, but not very warm; it smelled like morning dew and soft moss. Jacob closed his eyes and let the breeze cool his russet-brown coat. His heightened senses were, in his opinion, the best part about shape-shifting. They made it more fun to run, track, climb, howl, and hunt. They made Jacob forget about his sad, lonely, vulnerable life for a while and let him focus on small things, things he used to enjoy noticing when he was a little kid.

A powerful scent wafted through the air, and Jacob's nose wrinkled at the unfamiliar stench. A twig snapped, and some tall grass rustled against the flow of the wind.

Jacob was instantly alert and on edge. He stood, fur on end and teeth bared. He barked menacingly, which he hoped would be understood as "Show yourself!"

"Hello, Jacob. I'm right here." Edward's voice was calm and deep, reverberating throughout the calm summer atmosphere. He stepped out from behind a large, bushy clump of grass not twenty yards away.

While his physical demeanor relaxed slightly, Jacob's mind turned dark, malice clouding his thoughts.  _Who paired me with_ _ **you**_ _? What makes anyone believe that you'll genuinely protect anything?_

The animosity in Jacob's inner voice made Edward cringe a little, but he answered. "Jacob, I'm sorry. I have to apologize to everyone I know on a daily basis, and I mean it every time. Please understand that she wanted me t—"

Jacob growled loudly.  _She NEVER would have chosen death! She wouldn't have done that to everyone she cared about! Don't EVER speak to me about what she wanted! You don't know, and never will! You couldn't read her thoughts, so don't pretend like you could. You killed her, and ruined everyone's lives! I lov—_ _..._ _Bel—_ _..._ _you—..._

Jacob wanted to say more. A lot more. He wanted to shout how much he hated Edward, how much he wanted to rip his disgusting motherfucking head right off his shoulders, but his voice faltered. His growls had turned into whimpers, and he turned away and shook his head, tears flowing freely. Jacob thought about how embarrassing it was that he couldn't even keep it together while screaming at his mortal enemy.

"I'm not your mortal enemy, Jacob."

The rusty brown wolf turned to face the border. Edward was just standing there, his palms open, his eyes filled with deep hurt. He looked like a saint, a martyr that had died with pleas for mercy on his lips. This, of course, implied that Jacob was the heartless emperor, the unforgiving tyrant, and he would have none of that. It certainly wasn't  _his_  fault that Bella was gone.

Jacob glared.  _How dare you? Quit making excuses, and stay out of my damn brain. You're telling me that the leech who killed my best friend isn't my mortal enemy? Please, enlighten me._

Edward shook his head. His voice was strangled with sadness. "I had no choice, Jacob. I was given the option of destroying her body, or destroying her soul. Which did you prefer I take?"

That shut Jacob up. He pawed the ground restlessly, his claws churning up the black soil. Even in his mind, his low husky voice betrayed his feelings.  _I just want her back. I miss her._

"I know. I miss her as well." Edward sighed and sat down slowly, choosing a large boulder on which to perch. "I knew you two were pretty close; she talked about you all the time."

Jacob's heart leapt.  _She mentioned me?_  his inner voice said hesitantly. It warmed him to think that Bella had done something other than swoon when she had been with Edward.

Edward smirked, a kind of half smile. "Yeah, she always said that you were her greatest friend." He had a reminiscent look on his face, and his eyes were glazed over with a bitter-sweet memory.

Well, shit. Now he felt like absolute scum. Edward's open and gracious attitude made him realize how selfish and immature he had been. He had spent so much time in his own grief that he had failed to think about how much this fiasco might have hurt anyone else, especially Edward. Jacob was sure that, even if the vampire sitting in front of him was no longer a person, he had been human at one point, with thoughts and feelings. His heartbeat slowing down, he paced back and forth for a bit before shaking out his nerves, a wave of movement that undulated from head to toe and made his healthy coat shimmer in the moonlight. He finally sat on his haunches near a large rotted tree stump, and looked straight at Edward. The two now faced each other, an invisible but seemingly impenetrable barrier between them. The silence of the secluded clearing was a comfortable one, despite the sensitive nerves that had just been struck.

Jacob cocked his head to the side inquisitively.  _So if we're not mortal enemies, then what are we exactly?_

Edward shrugged his shoulders. "It depends. What do you think?"

_I don't know._

They spent the rest of their time in silence. Jacob continued pacing back and forth along the border, walking cautiously from one edge of the clearing to the other. He stayed alert, following the orders given to him by the Alpha. Edward appeared to do the same, remaining attentive and glancing this way and that. After a while, they realized that their time was up.

"Well, I suppose it's time we went back to our respective homes." Edward gestured to the woods behind him.

Jacob replied sheepishly, softly.  _Yeah. I'm glad nothing happened. I'll see you here if anything comes up, I guess?_

Edward sighed, and appeared to collect his thoughts. Jacob had already turned away, and was walking back toward the forest when Edward called out.

"Hey, Jacob." Jacob turned to look back. "Would you like to meet me out here again tomorrow?"

Jacob furrowed his brow, puzzled.  _What for?_

Edward shrugged. "I think it'd be a good idea, if only to familiarize ourselves with the patrol area. It's up to you, though." He raised his eyebrows. The ball was in Jacob's court.

He was torn. He did want to see Edward again, because it felt great to talk about Bella. It calmed him down. He didn't have anyone else to talk to about such a personal subject, and Edward seemed eager enough to listen. But he also wanted to lash out and hurt Edward, the very bloodsucker who took Bella away from him. His burning need to blame someone for his best friend's demise was almost all-consuming. He dug down deep, looking for an answer. Was he going to sweep his emotion under the rug and isolate himself from everyone, or was he going to let Edward share his burden?  _Which one would Bella have wanted me to choose?_  Somewhat begrudgingly, he knew which path he needed to take. He may not like Edward, but Bella certainly had, and that was enough to at least give him the time of day.

_I'll see you at midnight. Here. If you're late, I'm leaving._

Edward smiled, a full grin this time. "Great. See you then, Jacob."

Jacob rolled his eyes as Edward turned and zoomed out of sight, leaving only slight footprints in the soil as proof that he was ever there. As he turned to start his own journey back home, he wondered: what the hell had just happened?


	2. Friends?

**Chapter 2**

Edward sat on the ground, grinding the cool earth under his palms. He scooped up a chunk of it for further examination. The rich brown dirt was soft and loose, and it drifted like sand through the cracks in his cold fingers. He played with it for awhile, the temperature of his fingers the same as that of the chilled soil.

It had been a cold summer, and the wildflowers in the secluded clearing looked anemic and withered from the lack of sunlight. The cloudy sky partially masked the full moon, and darkened the leaf-covered forest floor. The wood was only yards away, yet if he had human vision he would barely be able to delineate the tree line from the meadow. He wondered, if he were to sit there for eternity, whether he'd eventually blend into the bleak landscape or erode into the dust.  _Erosion. I don't deserve such a peaceful fate._ He knew exactly what he deserved: a slow, painful death at the hands of some merciless executioner. The Volturi, perhaps? Maybe the wolves could make a deal...

Bella's voice interjected his thoughts. Her tone was light, effortless, pleading.  _Edward, you don't deserve death. You didn't do anything wrong. It was my fault. I followed James to the ballet studio._

"Of course, but it was my job to protect you, and I failed."

_You saved me, Edward. I chose death over change. You fulfilled my dying wish._

"I killed you."

_You healed me. You put an end to my suffering. Please, stop taking your frustration out on yourself. Be mad at me, blame me, I beg you._

He huffed. "The real Bella knew that I could never be mad at her."

She protested.  _I know that. You're much too selfless for your own good. But that doesn't mean you have to misplace guilt and suffer in silence._ Her voice faded, drifted farther away.  _Please Edward, I don't want you to torture yourself anymore. Move on. Grieve me, if you must, but then go out and seek happiness. I know you'll find it._ She was now whispering, barely audible.  _I love you. I love you too much to see you give up. Promise me you'll try?_

"I promise."

He ran his muddy fingers through his hair, and his head throbbed. Her voice was gone; he knew that. This had been the fourth time he'd had this discussion with Imaginary Bella. Word for word, she repeated her desperate requests; word for word, he answered them the same way, always ending with  _I promise._  That's all he ever said. He didn't know what else to say.

Of course, he had no intention of keeping that promise. Why would he keep a promise to a person who didn't exist? After all, Imaginary Bella was only an imitation, albeit a pretty flawless replica. She sounded just like Bella, and might even have responded in the same way. But he knew it wasn't Bella, it was absolutely impossible. He was hallucinating, conversing with his own mind. He really needed to remind his subconscious that Bella was dead, and there was nothing he could do about it. He had enough voices barraging his head constantly; he didn't need another. By appeasing Imaginary Bella, he hoped that she'd eventually disappear. At least, that was the plan. The plan hadn't been working as well as expected.

He hadn't told Carlisle. Actually, he hadn't told anyone; he had assumed that she would have left by now. That's why he had assured Jacob of the virtue of his choice: he was trying to convince himself of it as well. His life depended on it. There was no other option: allowing himself to live hinged on this.

His train of thought came full circle: was taking Bella's life really the right choice? On one hand, the façade that he portrayed to everyone (Carlisle, Alice, Jacob, etc.) thought it was. So did Imaginary Bella.

On the other hand, the real Edward —the Edward that was buried deep under all the platitudes— was still unsure, and tended to lean the other way, if only to indulge his masochistic nature.

So he was at an impasse: he had to choose between two sides of himself, neither of which he could honestly call the "correct" side, which only served to frustrate him even further. In the past, he had always been so set in stone on one opinion or another, and very seldom was he ever indecisive about anything. It incensed him to know that he couldn't make up his mind about something so important.

He slid his feet toward his body and wrapped his arms around his knees. When he rested his chin on his forearms and closed his eyes, he tried to remember what life was like before the Spanish flu, before Carlisle changed him. It had been so long ago, so far removed from his current surroundings. He hadn't even been back to Chicago since the Great Depression. In his mind's eye, he saw a streetcar zoom by as he dodged traffic to get to a newsstand. He loved reading about the Great War going on in Europe, and hoped to enlist the next year. He remembered the smell of the various food carts on the sidewalk, the cheers of the crowd as he ambled by Wrigley Field, and feeling like a salmon swimming upstream as he pushed against the flow of human traffic crossing the street to get to their various destinations. The people, the noise, the smells, the skyscrapers...

_Didn't expect to see you here on time._

Edward leapt to his feet and then crouched down into a defensive stance in a millisecond, hissing in alarm.

Jacob shifted quickly and held his hands out in front of him. "Whoa, sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I thought you heard me coming."

Edward relaxed his posture and ran a hand through his hopelessly unkempt auburn hair. "I was lost in a daydream. I guess I didn't hear you. My apologies."

Jacob laughed, and replied as he was buttoning his cutoffs. "Daydreaming? I thought it had to be daytime for that."

Edward rolled his eyes. "It's a figure of speech. I never sleep anyway, so daytime is all the time for me, I suppose."

"You don't sleep? Ever? No way," Jacob said, as he shot the vampire a puzzled glance.

Edward shook his head. "Never. Well, it's not that I want to avoid sleep, it's that I'm incapable of sleep." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Huh. I never thought of that. I guess that's why you guys are so pale, and have bags under your eyes, and stink to high heaven!" Jacob smirked, speaking as if he had stumbled upon a wondrous scientific discovery.

Edward laughed at the jibe, and struck back with a witticism of his own. "Oh really? I'm the one that smells? There's a reason that the cliché 'to smell like a wet dog' exists. Some stereotypes are true."

"It's better than smelling like a weird combo of blood and sickly sweet perfume."

"As if you don't also smell like blood. Remind me what you eat when you're hunting with the pack?" Edward shot back. Jacob frowned, obviously beaten, which made Edward chuckle.

"Oh ha ha, you won. You're so clever. Why don't you pick on someone your own age? What are you, like, a hundred?"

"About ninety, actually."

"See, you've practically had ages to perfect your comebacks."

"Well, when you put it that way, I suppose you're pretty skilled... for an infant."

Edward laughed even harder when he saw the scowl Jacob made. Jacob, looking to avoid any further verbal abuse, decided to change the subject. "So what were you daydreaming about? I mean, how were you even dreaming anyway? You know, since you can't sleep and all."

"Oh, nothing really. I wasn't really dreaming, just thinking about the days before I... changed."

"You mean before you became a bloodsucker?"

Edward smirked. "Yes, before I became a bloodsucker." He rolled his eyes and sarcastically put emphasis on the mildly offensive term.

Jacob gave another puzzled face. "Ninety years ago? You remember all that?"

"Unfortunately, I've been cursed with a great memory, even before being changed. I was just thinking about how much I missed Chicago."

Jacob wrinkled his nose. "Chicago? I never took you for a city boy."

"You must remember, I grew up in a time when men held doors for women, pushed their chairs in for them, and expected a home-cooked meal as soon as they got home from work every day. I may be a city boy, but I'm still old-fashioned."

Jacob scoffed. "Please, save me the lesson on chivalry and respect. I hear it enough from all the old women on the reservation."

"What do you expect? I'm practically a hundred. I'd fit right in at a nursing home." They both laughed at that.

By this time, they had both regained their seats: Edward on his moss-covered boulder, and Jacob on his huge, decaying pine tree stump. Edward continued. "Contrary to popular belief, not much was really different about that era. The Windy City was windy, the Cubs were mediocre, everyone complained, and no one really cared." He sighed. "Life was simple. Certainly not like now."

"You're telling me." They returned to their comfortable silence. Jacob folded his arms, sitting cross-legged. He sighed, and looked at the ground. He didn't know how they had immediately fallen into a friendly chat, but it felt good to relax, and he wasn't about to question it. But after a few moments more, the quiet grew into an awkward one, which prompted Jacob to offer a question that he was dying to know the answer to. "What's the thing you miss the most about her?" he muttered, almost inaudibly.

Edward shut his eyes and thought a moment. "Her constant need to keep others happy. Since that's a trait we both shared, we always did what we thought the other wanted. Neither of us ended up willingly doing something we enjoyed." He shook his head. "I know it doesn't sound like a good thing, but it was comforting to know that we always had each other in mind. What about you?"

Jacob answered without hesitation, his voice low and husky. "The way she always told me that she loved me. All the time, almost constantly." His eyes never left the ground.

Pain shot through Edward's heart, not out of jealousy, but of loss. She had done that with him as well. While asking for something, when having a question answered, during conversation.  _Can you pass the salt? Thanks. Love you, Edward._  It had been like a reflex to her. He swallowed, trying to keep his composure. As if they needed more emotional drama after the night prior. "That would have been next on my list."

Tears were forming in Jacob's eyes, and he quickly blinked them away. "It seems like everyone's moved on with their lives except for me. I can't go five minutes without thinking of her."

Edward's golden eyes narrowed. "Are you serious? Do you think I have just completely forgotten and moved on? I don't have short-term memory loss, Jacob. I can't go seconds without realizing what I've lost. What we all lost." He ran his fingers through his hair again, resting his elbows on his knees.

Jacob mentally smacked himself. Why was he such an idiot? "I didn't mean that. I know you feel the same way. I'm talking about besides you. I mean, even Charlie has gotten over it. He's already back at work. Look, I know people have different ways of dealing with grief, but I feel like no one cares that she was just here one day and gone the next. Are they are just okay with that?"

"I don't know, Jacob. I understand what you're saying. I read people's thoughts and I still don't know." The silence was thick with tension, but still not disquieting. Edward looked up at the moon, which was dodging in and out from behind the clouds, as it had done last night.

Without speaking, Jacob stood up, walked over the border, and took a seat near Edward on a smaller boulder. When Edward shot him a questioning glance, he rolled his eyes. "We're not on patrol, and there's no rule that says I'm not allowed to cross the line. It's not like this means anything."

Edward chuckled. "I don't know. Sitting this close might constitute friendship."

Jacob paused. He glanced up, and saw that Edward was looking directly at him, and the two were locked in a stare down. Edward found himself lost in the huge brown orbs that were tainted with sorrow and hope. He heard the werewolf mumble, "I'd like to be friends."

Bella's voice wafted lightly through the air.  _Go out and seek happiness. I know you'll find it._

"Friends?" Edward saw himself offer out his hand, but he wasn't actually controlling the movement.

Jacob looked at the pale hand. Slowly, he reached out and grasped it with his own bronze hand. He flinched at the chilled skin of the vampire, but did not pull back. Likewise, Edward was shocked at the extreme warmth that pulsated in time with the wolf's heartbeat, but kept his grip tight. They shook hands for a beat longer than necessary, then hesitantly let go.

A significant, singular moment transcended the space between the two unlikely friends. Edward felt it zing through his icy flesh, starting in his head and flowing down through his toes. Jacob sensed it move through his veins and flood his muscles with light.

The clearing had never been so still. Not a cricket chirped, and not a single blade of grass was disturbed by the wind. Feeling threatened by the silence, Jacob finally spoke. "So what does this mean?"

Edward looked over at him, and flashed him a crooked smile. "It means I'll see you tomorrow."

And with that, he stood up and zoomed out of the clearing into the forest. Jacob sat there alone for a while longer. He realized that dawn was fast approaching. He needed to get back to La Push and get some sleep. Before heading that way, he stared at the empty blackness into which Edward had sprinted.  _See you tomorrow, Edward. Good night, friend._  He shifted, and headed towards home.


	3. Surprise!

**Chapter 3**

"Hey, Jacob!"

Sam Uley offered a friendly greeting as the youngest member of the Black family trotted through Emily's front door. Quil and Embry also shouted hello's at Jacob, who responded with a smirk and threw in a chuckle for good measure. Paul and Jared were seated at the kitchen table, munching on what appeared to be cold pizza. The rest of the gang, consisting of Leah, Seth, and Emily (whose arms were wrapped around Sam's chest), were lounging in the living room, not paying much attention to the muted television. Jacob hopped over the back of the couch and squirmed his way in between Seth and Emily. Seth pretended to punch him in the shoulder, while Emily laughed and scooted over to make space.

"Hey! There's no room for you!" Seth complained, as he was now squished between Jacob and the arm of the couch, which proved to be unforgiving on his hip.

Sam laughed. "You can't complain! He can do what he wants, he's the birthday boy, remember?"

This prompted Quil, Embry, Paul, and Jared to applaud and cheer in mock deference, with various shouts of "Long live King Jacob!" and "We all know who the  _real_ Alpha is in this pack!", among others that left them all in stitches. After the guys had had their fun, Emily spoke up.

"Now, boys, cut him some slack, turning sixteen is a huge deal. I can't speak for everyone, but I remember Sam speaking fondly of his sixteenth birthday, and I'm sure that each of you felt the same way." She rose and waltzed to the attached kitchen. After calling Paul over to help, she pulled out a monstrous chocolate cake from the fridge and began singing the Happy Birthday song. Everyone joined in, with Quil and Jared purposefully singing off-key. Emily placed it on the living room coffee table, lighting the candles with a Zippo lighter. Jacob blushed, his mahogany skin turning a shade of dark crimson.

"Make a wish, Jake!" Seth urged. Jacob took a deep breath and blew out all sixteen of them in one huge puff. This called for more applause, and then the ravenous wolves dove in for the kill, the defenseless cake being their prey. The whole thing was devoured in minutes, while a piece or two was salvaged by Emily to save for later.

Soon after, they sat lazily in the living room: bellies distended, hearts content. Emily was perched on Sam's lap, and they were cuddling on a warm-looking recliner. Paul, Seth, and Quil were piled on the floor, napping, and Leah was cleaning dishes in the kitchen. Embry and Jacob had taken up the couch, and Jared was vying for a spare cushion.

On the outside, Jacob was all smiles, happy to be with his friends and full from the surprise dessert. On the inside, however, he was still troubled. Admittedly, his turmoil over Bella's passing had subsided a little, but the pain from her loss still made his heart ache. Also, there was a new fear: a fear that his pack would give him grief over his new camaraderie with Edward, the bloodsucking murderer.

He had met with Edward in the isolated meadow almost every night for two weeks now, and their friendship had blossomed: they found great joy and comfort in talking to each other, engaging in both light banter and deep discussion. Somehow, he'd even managed to keep it a secret: he would sweep the most recent memories of Edward under the memory of the first meeting in the clearing, and since no one was willing to dig any further, no one had even noticed that he had met the leech more than once. That is, except for Sam.

**XXXX**

A couple days ago, Sam had been sifting through everyone's minds during an official pack meeting, to gauge how well the new patrol system had been working. He'd noticed the differences in Jacob's memories: the change of clothes, the subtle difference in wind speed and temperature, the time of night. Rather than call the thoughts to the forefront for the whole pack to question, Sam had pushed them away and told Jacob to meet with him later.

"You've been meeting with Cullen?" Sam spoke gravely, but the tone in his voice was eerily calm.

Jacob realized that flat-out lying would only make things worse. "Yeah. He asked to, because he said he was more comfortable knowing a lot about the guy who would have his back in an emergency." Technically it was a piece of the truth, if not the whole truth. Jacob just couldn't bring himself to tell Sam about all the embarrassingly personal heart-to-hearts that were the actual reasons for having more than one rendezvous.

Sam narrowed his eyes. "Wait, that's it? What does he talk about?"

Jacob shrugged. "It's mostly just small talk. Nothing, really. I would have told you, but I didn't think it was a big deal. It's not against any rules, is it?"

Sam pondered that for a moment, then shook his head. "I guess not. I have no clue why you'd want to hang out with a bloodsucker, but I guess there's no law forbidding it. Just be careful, alright?" He was about to walk away when he turned back around. "Wait, are you two friends or something?"

Jacob hesitated. "Um..." Should he tell Sam, his Alpha, his boss, about the friendship that had sprung up between the vampire and himself? Or should he keep his mouth shut and pray that Sam never realized the truth?

Weighing his options, he decided to choose the honest path. "Yeah, I guess you could call us friends. He's not hostile, and I kinda found out that he's not all bad."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Jake. Just remember: you're a shape-shifter, a werewolf. He's a vampire, a bloodsucker. Recognize the difference, and make sure your friend does too."

With that, he jogged away, leaving Jacob frazzled, but also relieved. He called back, "Yeah, will do Sam!" before heading back to his house. After that, he had been scared of what would happen if Sam were to tell the others exactly what was going on between Jacob and the vampire.

**XXXX**

"Earth to Jake! Come in, Jake!" Jared laughed as Embry waved his hand in front of Jacob's face.

Jacob snapped out of the flashback. "What is it?" He scrunched his face up in annoyance.

Jared laughed again. "Sam was about to tell you something, but you weren't paying attention, staring off into space like a dumbass."

Jacob smacked Embry in the back of the head and turned to face Sam. "Sorry, what is it?"

Sam hugged Emily tighter and cleared his throat. Everyone piped down, as he only did this when he was about to say something important. "I was just about to explain to you, and everyone, what the elders told me about imprinting."

The room became deathly still. They all knew the general concepts, but they didn't know that the elders had more details about the process in which a Quileute shape-shifter discovers his (or her) soul mate. They were all eager to find out, and their silence seemed to be begging Sam to continue. He squeezed his eyes shut, as if recalling a script that he had printed on his eyelids. "Imprinting has occurred since the first generation begotten by the great chief, Taha Aki, and has been among our tribe's most respected and revered rites of passage. Whether it carries over from the raw nature of the wolves that we become, or from the spiritual magic that dwells in our blood, we do not know for sure. But there are several things that we do understand.

First, imprinting only happens after your sixteenth birthday, or your first phasing. Usually after you turn sixteen, but there have been exceptions on both sides of that rule. There have been men that, after phasing for the first time, have imprinted when they were only fifteen. At the same time, there have been phasers who have seen their soul mate many times before, and not imprinted on them until after they turned sixteen. No shifter has ever imprinted on someone they have seen after that time. In other words, after a shifter becomes sixteen, they either imprint, or they don't.

Second, once you imprint, there is no going back. Ever, no matter who it is or what you might think about them. When it happens, your world shifts on its axis. That person is your beloved, and you will never want to leave them or cause them pain. Any thoughts that fight the imprinting become... unbearable."

He paused, and looked at Emily, who smiled gratefully back at him. It was obvious that after the first point, he was speaking from experience, not mere hearsay. Quil glared at him and cleared his throat. "Oh, sorry. Anyway, you can't change it, or fight it. You will accept it, and it will become painful to do otherwise. As you can see, I had to be with Emily, despite the fact that, at first, I was dating Leah." Leah nodded, though the residual bitterness etched on her face was still somewhat evident. She knew that he hadn't meant to hurt her, and that he couldn't even control it, but the pain was there regardless.

Everyone felt extremely uncomfortable, opening up such a huge can of worms in front of the whole pack. But the point had been adequately made. Sam moved on. "Lastly, and most importantly, pack law absolutely prohibits any pack member from harming or killing the imprinted one of another. I'm happy to say that no one has ever been foolish enough to break this rule, but I remind you all of it because sometimes we, as shifters, forget how powerful we can be." He absentmindedly traced Emily's scar with his finger, and she grabbed his hand and kissed it. "I just wanted to make sure all of you understood why imprinting is such a big deal. It may be an inconvenience, it may even hurt us, but in the long run, it connects us with our one true love, and that is why it's so important. I also wanted Jacob to be on his toes. Even though there's no really preparation you can do, I thought it would help to realize that it could happen at any time, with anyone."

After a couple moments of quiet, it was clear that Sam had finished his speech, and some muted conversation resumed. Jacob sat in silence, mulling over his pack leader's words. He wondered what kind of person his soul mate would be, and how he'd know that he imprinted on them. Apparently, he'd know it right away, but what would it feel like?

The afternoon progressed quickly after that, with food, jokes, chat, horseplay, and laughter throughout. One by one, each of the Quileute protectors left to their respective homes to get some sleep before the pack meeting the following morning, until only Sam, Emily, and Jacob remained. Jacob, conceding the lateness of the hour, at last decided that it was time to depart.

"I hope your birthday was tolerable, what with all of us crazy folk around bothering you." Sam's imprintee was the sweetest person Jacob had ever known, and her gleeful voice emulated her caring nature.

"It was great, thanks for the cake, Emily. I really appreciate it." His goofy grin made Emily laugh, and Sam roll his eyes.

Sam patted him on the back. "Get some rest, birthday boy. We've got a pack meeting tomorrow. I was talking to Charlie; apparently there's an unsolved murder in Forks that I think we need to take a look at. We'll look over the details tomorrow, and I need everyone at full strength."

Jacob gave a mock salute. "Sir, yes sir. See ya tomorrow."

As he walked toward his old VW Rabbit, he smiled to himself. He just remembered that he had promised to meet Edward tonight.  _A great ending to a great birthday._

He hopped into the car and sped away toward his house. The ride home was mostly filled with him listening to music on the radio and thinking about anything that came to mind.

_I wonder what my imprinted one will look like? Come to think of it, I wonder if I know my imprinted one... That'd be weird! Obviously it's no one in the pack, I saw Leah tonight... Ooh, is this from the new Green Day album? Shit, I need gas. Ah, screw it, I'll get some tomorrow._

Before he knew it, he was home. He parked in the gravel driveway, hopped out, and dropped his stuff off on the porch. He jogged into the woods a short ways, and took a deep breath. The atmosphere around him quivered, like asphalt on a hot day. He closed his eyes, and felt the bones in his body elongate and the muscles stretch like rubber bands. Before he knew it, his paws touched the ground and his shift was complete.

He smiled (or perhaps bared his teeth, he still had no idea how a smile translated into wolf body language). He loved shifting. It was definitely one of the cooler parts of the job. He stretched his legs, shook out his rusty brown fur, and took off towards the clearing. He loved how the wind blew away all his worries, all his doubts, all his fears. All he knew was the smell of the earth, the sound of the breeze, and the sight of the leaves as they rustled when he flew past them.

When the meeting spot grew nearer, and he entered Edward's telepathic reach, he heard the familiar suave, collected voice greet him. "Hi there, Jacob. Happy birthday."

Jacob slowed.  _How did you know it was my birthday?_

"I may or may not have run into your father at Charlie's place."

_And you talked to him?_

A soft chuckle. "Well, he spoke. It was in his head, but he clearly stated that he was happy that you were finally turning sixteen."

_Oh god. What did you do?_

"Relax, I never even entered the house. I simply decided that a special occasion called for a special gift."

Jacob stopped about a hundred yards out.  _You got me something?_ His inner voice sounded surprised, but excited.  _Edward, you really didn't have to do that._

"Yes, I really did. We're friends, remember? What kind of friend would I be if I had not only forgotten your birthday, but also had forgone buying you a present?"

Jacob rolled his eyes at the irony. Who would have thought that two people, pitted against each other in almost every way, would somehow hurdle all the obstacles and wind up as friends?

_Okay, okay, I'm coming into the clearing now. Is there some sort of weird trick involved?_

"No, but you do need to close your eyes."

Close his eyes? Really? How childish could they possibly get? Jacob decided to indulge his new friend and embrace his inner seven-year-old. He closed his eyes, trotted until he knew he had reached the meadow, and sat down a few steps in, waiting for Edward's cue.  _Can I open them yet?_

"Not just yet." He took this time to try and guess what it was using his heightened senses.

He smelled around, trying to pick up anything out of the ordinary. Nothing. He listened, maybe Edward was moving something around? It didn't sound like he was doing anything.  _How about now?_

"On the count of three. One..."

Jacob was sitting impatiently, his tail thumping the ground.

"...Two..."

Jacob realized that he didn't want to be in wolf form for all this. He snapped into human form, his eyes still shut tight. Edward waited while he hastily grabbed his shorts and threw them on quickly. Finally, Jacob nodded for Edward to continue.

"...Three! Open!"

Jacob's eyes opened. On their boulder chairs, there was nothing but a shiny ring, with a fob and a car key on it. The logo had Audi's telltale four rings on it. "Aw, shucks, Edward! You got me a keychain!" Though he was outwardly kidding, on the inside he was a wreck. A tremendously grateful and truly shocked plane crash.

"Oh, that keychain comes with a car, and not just any car, Jacob." Edward's voice was full of self-confidence. He knew that he had outdone himself. "I got you an Audi A5, my personal favorite German automobile." He was all smiles as he saw Jacob's face light up with pure joy.

Jacob walked up and snatched the keys, examining them closely. "An A5?! How did you pay for it? There's no way I can let you give me a car..."

"I didn't give it to you, per se. I knew that your La Push friends would ask questions, so I pulled a few strings, and let's just say that you're the lucky winner in the St. Bartholomew Memorial Hospital Audi Sweepstakes. Hint: you were the only applicant."

Jacob laughed. "That's where Carlisle works, right? But why?"

"I'm an avid car collector, and, over the years, I've managed to save a few dollars here and there. I buy cars whenever I can, and this was a great excuse to drive one of my favorites around town for a day to break it in. It was of no great cost, I assure you. I've seen your Rabbit. You deserve at least a little better."

Jacob was totally speechless. He looked around. "Where are you, anyway? You can hear me, so I know you're around here somewhere..."

"Good question. Catch me if you can. And don't use your wolf-form, that's cheating."

Jacob crossed his arms and huffed. "Ya know, for a ninety-year-old immortal bloodsucker, you're extremely immature."

"I merely wanted to give you your big surprise before we started talking about other things." The amusement in Edward's voice was obvious. "For an extremely immature sixteen-year-old, you're also quite hypocritical."

Jacob laughed. "Whatever you say, Cullen." He hunched over and smelled the ground. The sickly-sweet scent of a vampire lingered. It strengthened as he crawled deeper into the clearing, and became almost overpowering as he approached a large clump of extremely tall grass.

He heard a light rustling behind the plants, so he stood up and crossed his arms. "Show yourself!" he said in mock authority.

Edward stepped out of the bush with his hands raised above his head. He flashed his crooked smile. He said something too, but Jacob didn't hear it. The only thing Jacob saw was the color of Edward's eyes; they were a dark amber, with a splash of metallic gold. They glimmered in the moonlight, hypnotizing Jacob. He felt like the world was crumbling beneath his feet, and a cloud of plush cotton with golden flecks was lifting his spirit high above the tumultuous world below. The only thing that mattered was Edward, and his eyes, and his hair, and his mouth, and his beautiful statuesque skin and  _goddammit what was happening?!_  Jacob realized with horror what was going on, and he made a feeble attempt to fight it.  _This can't happen, not with him!_  But he realized that resistance was futile. He was too late; all he could do now was melt into a useless puddle of feelings.

Jacob had so many emotions running through his mind at once that it was painful. He felt intense hatred: toward his stupid wolf genes, toward Edward, toward himself and his sudden vulnerability. He felt confusion: he had no idea why this was happening with Edward, a male vampire. But a sense of love drowned out everything else; all other emotions were overpowered by this love, a love that rendered Jacob completely and hopelessly enthralled. The love was a strange kind of love. It wasn't a lust-filled fanaticism, nor was it a detached philosophical love; it was irrational and all-consuming, yet deeply loyal and expressible. Jacob was simultaneously drawn and repulsed by it. His thoughts were so dissonant and so loud that Edward's hands flew to his temple, his brain bombarded by the intensity of Jacob's mental war. Finally, Jacob's mind calmed just enough to flash three words:  _Imprinted. Edward. Love._

Jacob couldn't believe this was happening. The weight of the world became too much for his human body to handle. He shifted without really remembering it, and ran in no particular direction. His claws dug up the earth, and his fur caught on thorny brambles as he sprinted deeper into the dark forest.

Edward was left standing in the quiet clearing, with nothing but a ripped pair of cutoffs, footprints, car keys, and the earthy scent of the confused boy that had just imprinted on him. He listened to Jacob as he crashed through the thick underbrush, and debated whether or not to go after him. He decided against it. That would make things worse.  _So... what will make things better?_ he asked himself. The answer was clear.

He pulled out his cellphone and hit the first number on speed dial. "Carlisle."

The voice on the other end was calm, yet laced with concern over Edward's serious tone. "What's going on, Edward? Did something happen?"

Edward raised his eyebrows.  _You could say that again._ "We have a serious problem."


	4. Compromise

**Chapter 4**

Edward scowled to himself. Things were about to get really interesting.

He was standing in the living room, with the rest of his family seated around the coffee table. Alice, Esme, and Rosalie were perched on the living room sofa; Emmett sat atop an ottoman, which he had dragged near the couch; Jasper rested on the other ottoman; and Carlisle reclined on the nearby armchair. It was dawn, and the morning sun was just beginning to peek out above the tree line. It shone small rays of light through the east bay windows, and gave warmth to the otherwise chilly house.

"What is it, Edward? Rose and I have a plane to catch." Emmett had a sour facial expression. He was eager to take Rosalie to Africa on a romantic exotic hunting trip for their anniversary. He'd never tasted rhinoceros, and Edward's late-night powwow was going to make them late.

Edward sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I apologize to everyone. I know this is an inconvenience, but something has come up..."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Edward, will you skip the drama and just tell us? I know it has something to do with the wolves because I can't see your future. Either that or you're dying of vampire cancer, so spit it out!" She was mostly joking, but she had been in the middle of a delightful make-out session with Jasper, and was quite eager to return to their room.

Carlisle shot her a reproachful look. "Alice, patience. You'll see why this is difficult for Edward to expound on in just a moment. I was the one who decided to call the meeting, because this is extremely important, and I knew that you'd all want to learn about it in person. Go on, Edward."

Edward inhaled deeply. He was truly at a loss for words. "In case you didn't know, which you probably don't unless you're Alice or Carlisle, during these new emergency patrol exercises, I befriended Jacob Black, one of the Quileute shape-shifters. He was Bella Swan's best friend in Forks, and we bonded over her loss. He and I are now very good friends, and we meet at our patrol station often." God damn it, he felt like he was in some sort of awful soap opera.

Emmett snickered. "This is gonna be good. What, do you play fetch? Are you gonna rename him Fido? Scruffy, perhaps?"

"Shut up, Emmett! Don't make me do what I did last week," Jasper threatened. He was referring to an incident in which Emmett had poked fun of Alice's new purple hair dye, and Jasper had used his powers as an empath to consume Emmett in unbridled laughter. He had giggled for several hours until Jasper made him promise never to make fun of Alice's hair again. Emmett wiped the smirk off his face, and Jasper bowed his head in sarcastic gratitude. "Please, continue, Edward." His South Texas drawl curved the words in the air, adding a thick twang to his genteel tone.

Edward was shaking his head. "Thank you, Jasper. As I was saying, we had really hit it off as friends, and things were going swimmingly. Until tonight, that is."

"What happened?" Esme's voice was filled with grave concern. Any form of violence would be considered a violation of the treaty, and she hoped that Edward hadn't done anything to jeopardize their home in Forks.

Edward saw her train of thought, and waved his hand. "No, no, nothing violent. The treaty wasn't broken, or at least I don't think it was. Apparently, the wolves have a genetic trait that is activated when they find their soul mate. It's called imprinting, and tonight Jacob imprinted on me when he saw me."

Emmett couldn't control himself any longer. He roared with laughter. "Are you kidding me? The dog fell in love with you?"

"He didn't fall in love. It's much more severe than that. Because of this imprinting, his only goal in life now is to make me happy. All else comes second to his imprinted one. It happened when we made eye contact, and it was so quick that I barely had time to register what had occurred before he ran away. The intensity of his thoughts was pretty overwhelming. Obviously it's something he has no control over, and I wanted everyone to understand the situation before Carlisle and I move forward with our plan."

Rosalie spoke up. "Wait,  _plan_? What exactly are we planning to do? It's not like we can just walk over there and apologize." She had never cared much for the hassle that came with having a giant group of vampire-hunting shifters around. She'd much prefer to move somewhere closer to her old home down south, somewhere tropical, but everyone else insisted that Forks was lovely. She rolled her eyes. Perhaps this was an answer to her prayers...

Carlisle answered curtly. "Actually we can, and we will. Since we know next to nothing about imprinting, we are going to meet with the Quileutes, tell them what happened, and ask them how we should proceed. I respect their customs, just as they respect ours. If we did nothing, it would be like if they had found a way to share all our special gifts, like telepathy and clairvoyance, and not told us about it or asked us how to use them." Rosalie, resigned to her fate, gave a small huff of displeasure and sat back in her chair.

Alice frowned. "What about Jacob? Wouldn't he have told them by now?"

Edward shook his head. "He's too confused and embarrassed. He was so distressed that, as soon as it happened, he shifted and took off into the forest. As of an hour ago, when I was on my way back, he's still out there somewhere. He's mortified; it seems that no wolf has ever imprinted on another man before, and the fact that I'm a vampire certainly does not help the matter."

The Cullens were still for a moment, immersed in their thoughts. Then, Emmett stood. "Well, I don't have any other plan, and it looks like I can't be of any assistance, so Rose and I are going to take off. Good luck with your new pet, and let me know if you need to get him fixed."

Rosalie pulled him down forcefully, making one of the legs on the ottoman crack as she pushed him back into a sitting position. "Em, we're going to stay here until this is over. They might need help later on, and we won't be able to get here fast enough if we're in Kenya. Besides, I think we all should be there when they meet the tribal elders. They'll get suspicious if some of us aren't there." Emmett made a move to protest, but she glared at him so strongly that he shut his mouth and sighed. She shot him the look he feared most: the "no sex later if you make this difficult" look. She was just as irritated as he was about not being able to leave, but if they were going to pursue this, they might as well go about it the right way.

"Rosalie's right. It will look best if we all attend. But the question remains: what's going to happen between you and Jacob?" Alice asked out of care for her adopted brother.

Unfortunately, Edward had no answer to her question. "I have no idea. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, but I need more information first. I need to know how imprinting works, and the conference with the Quileute elders will answer any questions I have."

Carlisle stepped in. "Alright then. It appears as if we're all going. I don't want seem disrespectful by arranging this over the phone, so I'll make my way to La Push now, and seek an audience with the council. I will text everyone with further instructions as soon as I learn more. I think it's best if you all wait here until then."

They all nodded in assent, so Carlisle took off out the front door without another word. Emmett took his spot on the recliner, and Esme decided to change clothes, so Jasper snagged her seat and cuddled up next to Alice.

"I'm going to step outside for a moment. I'll be right back." Edward motioned to the back door.

Alice nodded. "Be back soon, okay? If Carlisle calls, and you're not here, we're leaving without you," she warned him, only half kidding.

He smirked. "I won't be out too long."

She raised her eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with?" She pushed Jasper away; he was kissing her neck and trying to evoke a response from his mate.

Edward thought for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, come on." She beamed at him, hopped off the couch, and followed him out the sliding glass door, knocking Jasper on his face in the process.

"Hey!" Jasper made a pouty face, and tried to subtly flood the room with lust and a hint of slothfulness, in the hopes that Alice would decide to stay indoors instead of taking that walk.

Alice turned around and shouted, "I'll be back soon, love!" She rolled her eyes, and followed Edward off the expansive porch. He laughed out loud when she sighed in sarcastic confusion. "Why am I in love with such a horny bastard?"

They walked out onto one of the many trails that led from their back porch into the forest. She punched him on the shoulder, and he playfully shoved her off the path. They both laughed as they slowly ambled down the hiking route, their steps making soft patter noises as their feet treaded on the moist, well-worn soil.

Alice wound her arms around Edward's elbow and leaned against him. "What are you gonna do, Eddie?" She used the term of endearment over which she had exclusive rights to use.

He grinned. "You really hate not knowing the outcome of all this, don't you?"

She waved him off. "You wish. I'm simply worried, that's all. You know I've been wanting to see you settle down for a long time now..."

He put his hand up for her to stop talking, and glanced at her curiously. "Are you seriously telling me to settle down with  _him_? A werewolf? A sworn enemy, regardless of the treaty?"

She gazed up at the canopy of leaves, and then nodded. "Yes. Even with all those things, I still think that anyone who's completely devoted to someone deserves that person's love and respect. Based on what it sounds like, I'd say there's no chance he'd ever leave you, betray you, or even hurt you. So what's there to lose? Even if he's a guy, he'll still treat you right, and stand by you." She smiled; a wicked smile that implied something sinister. "Besides, I know you like him too. I knew you were gay since we first met."

Edward did a double-take. "Are you serious? How could you know that?" Of course, it was true. Edward had always been taken by men, and found them much more appealing than women. Despite his many attempts at heterosexuality, he knew deep down the truth about his preferences, and had never done anything of any sexual significance with a woman to prove otherwise. Even his relationship with Bella had been teetering on the brink of collapse. She had continued to insist on more, and he had been so hesitant to give anything that she had started having her doubts. Sure, the kisses were great, and the groping was damn fantastic, but he'd always been subconsciously thinking of men. His stall tactics had been wearing thin, and he suspected that, in the end, Bella had asked him to kill her because she knew that it was the only way she'd ever really fulfill his desires. He didn't want to entertain that thought, if only because it was too hurtful. He'd always suspected that Alice had a hunch about it, but there was no way even she could have known way back then.

Alice winked. "Woman's intuition." She paused. "Of course, I also happened to look down the rabbit hole, and saw what the future would have held had you changed Bella instead of helping her end it all." She stopped walking, and looked him in the eye. "It was... less than stellar. I can tell you what I saw. Only if you want me to, of course..." Her tone was grave, and the look in her eyes was foreboding and gloomy.

He wrinkled his brow and thought about it for a moment. He did want to know what would have happened, but at the same time it felt wrong to dive into something he could never change. Hindsight is always twenty-twenty, and there was no point in dwelling on the past. However, it was his curiosity that won out. He chalked it up as a step toward closure, and motioned for Alice to continue.

"Alright. After you changed Bella, she became more distraught at your refusals of her sexual advances. Finally, she left the coven after realizing that you'd never feel the same way. She joined the Denali coven, but still felt unhappy. She knew she'd never be satisfied without you, so she decided to join the Volturi, using a special gift she possessed as a vampire: she would have been a Shield, a blocking mechanism that keeps the powers of others from having any effect on those she was protecting. Using her to his advantage, Aro came to Forks, wiped out our entire coven, killed the Quileute shape-shifters for good measure, and destroyed Bella for siding with the wolves during that battle." She swallowed air. "It was a horrifying vision, that's why I encouraged her to take the other path."

"You told her this?" His voice was strong, almost threatening. If Alice had coerced Bella into killing herself, he'd never forgive her.

She held up her hand. "No, I didn't tell her anything, except that I strongly recommended that she not choose to become like us. But you're dodging the question again."

They walked onward. "I know. I suppose you're right, as always. He would never go against the imprint; it's too powerful to overcome. I just... I don't know. The emotions that were behind the thoughts he had when he imprinted... They were so powerful that I could actually feel them. Jasper would have been pushed into a coma if he had been there. It was frightening to know that anyone could feel so strongly about anything."

She stopped him and grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to face her. She groaned in aggravation. "Edward Anthony Masen, don't you get it? That's what love feels like! It's so strong that you can't help but obey it. When you truly love someone, you get butterflies in your stomach, you want to rob a bank, you get so shy that you can hardly speak the King's English, you want to grab the moon and give it to your beloved. Love makes you feel invincible, yet vulnerable. Powerful, yet helpless. You're afraid because you've never been in love before, and it scares you." She looked at him like he was some sort of dim-witted kindergarten student. "Why does it scare you?"

He stared deeply into her pleading eyes, trying to decipher the complex puzzle. He spoke the answer before he actually thought it. "I'm scared of love because I'm even more scared of rejection." His voice was low, and mirrored his inner insecurity.

She gave her own crooked smile, a cocky grin that perplexed him. "I completely believe you, Edward. So let me state this clearly, so that there's no room for a single slice of doubt in your thick skull: Jacob. Black. Will. Never. Reject. You." She poked her finger into his cold iron chest at each word, enunciating each word slowly.

He could only continue to stare into her eyes, eyes almost identical to his except her flecks were a darker shade of amber. Then he hugged her. He embraced his adopted sister so tightly that he thought he'd never let go. He was reduced to wracking dry sobs as he held Alice firmly in his grasp. He nuzzled his face into her tiny shoulder. "God, I hope that's true. I hope that's true."

She returned his embrace, patting his back and mussing his perpetually disheveled copper-bronze hair. "I hope so too, Ed. I really do."

They stood there for awhile, before regaining their composure and heading back to the house.

They reached the back door just as their phones collectively buzzed and chimed with a text from Carlisle, which read:

_**The elders have agreed to talk. Meet on the county road, where you all will be escorted to the council chamber by the pack. Please be polite, and keep in mind that this is the first time they've ever allowed "cold ones" onto Quileute land.** _

A separate text read:

_**Edward, don't go out and look yet, but if you know where Jacob is, tell Sam so that he can find him. They've been looking, but his thoughts are so muddled that they can't pinpoint his location. I know you've had the same trouble, but perhaps you could narrow the search field a bit.** _

Emmett looked up from his phone. "So do you know where he is?"

Edward shook his head. "Carlisle's right. I can hear him within a certain radius, but I couldn't be clear enough to be of any assistance without actually going in a search party."

Jasper nodded. "Alright then. Shall we take the Lexus?"

Esme shook her head. "No way. We'll take my car." She grinned and glanced at Emmett. "As long as I drive. Is that okay?"

Emmett raised his eyebrows in excitement. "Fine by me!"

They all jogged to the garage and headed to Esme's ride: it was a beautiful obsidian Infiniti QX56, with an engine that Emmett and Edward had tinkered and altered until it could produce quite a kick when shifted into full throttle. Fully aware of this fact, Esme gave it all it could handle as they zoomed down the deserted road in the early morning mist. The drive was uneventful, and Edward gazed out the window in the hopes that he might see Jacob running to catch up. Yet he saw no wolves until they reached the border that crossed the old county road that led to the reservation.

There, the coven was met by a veritable entourage of seven wolves, each a different color and size. Esme brought the car to a slow stop and rolled the windows down to avoid suspicion. The large black wolf growled, and Edward nodded. He turned to his fellow vampires. "The black one is Sam. He said that we are to drive slowly, and they will accompany us." He waved to the wolves, and Esme pushed the gas pedal slowly until the speed of the SUV leveled off at around 20 miles an hour. The pack cantered alongside the automobile, and before too long they had entered La Push proper. The small village was unassuming, with little except for a marina, some small residences, and the tribal council building, which they reached in no time.

The structure fit in with the rest of the town: it was a single story, plain brick building, with a few large windows and an unassuming sign in front of the door. Esme pulled into one of the few parking spaces, next to Carlisle's sedan, and they slowly got out. The wolves shifted and, after changing into clothes, subtly encompassed the outsiders. Sam approached the Cullens. "I am Sam Uley, Alpha of the Quileute warriors. This is my pack: Seth and Leah Clearwater, Jared Cameron, Paul Lahote, Embry Call, and Quil Ateara V."

Esme nodded in gratitude. "We are honored to make your acquaintance. You might know a bit about us, but formal introductions are always a good start. This is my family. Carlisle is my husband, and I'm sure you've met him already. My name is Esme, and this is Emmett, his wife Rosalie, Jasper, his wife Alice, and Edward." She pointed to each one as she said their name, and each stepped forward as their name was called. The eyes of the shifters were wary, and the eyes of the vampires were equally distant. At the same time, there was no ominous feeling in the air as the two factions introduced themselves.

After the formalities were concluded, with each Quileute and vampire cautiously shaking hands with each other, Sam motioned towards the entryway with his hand. "Please, right this way. The elders wish to speak to us."

They complied, and, with Edward leading the way, the large group entered the Quileute meeting hall. Matching with the decor of the whole reservation, the room in which the meeting was to take place left little to the imagination, yet did not come across as ugly. On one wall hung a hand-woven tapestry that seemed to intertwine several animals important to the Quileute culture into a single geometric pattern resembling the profile of a wolf. The other walls consisted of large wooden planks, and were completely barren. In the middle of the room resided a huge conference table that appeared to be made of cedar, around which sat seven elders and Carlisle. There were plenty of chairs left for the rest of the group, but of the wolves, only Sam took a seat, choosing one on the far left of the elders. The Quileutes were positioned on the west side of the table, their backs toward the sea, while the east side was occupied by Carlisle and his coven.

After taking their seats, the oldest-looking of the tribal leaders spoke. "Welcome, cold ones. We gather today to discuss a truly perplexing matter, a new chapter in our history. One of our own warriors, the direct descendant of the esteemed Ephraim Black, leader of our warriors when you, Carlisle, first arrived on Quileute soil, yes, the carrier of the Black name himself has imprinted on a man. Not only a man, but also a man dead without death, a cold one, a drinker of blood. A unique blood-drinker, a member of Carlisle Cullen's tribe, yes, but a cold one nonetheless."

She truly belonged to the ancients. Her words echoed of a time long since inscribed in history books and forgotten to the ages, and her speech slurred due to the lack of most of her teeth. She spoke of the vampires in a tentative, but not bitter tone, and her cloudy eyes scanned the ranks of her counterparts as an owl scans the dark night, looking for a lesson to be taught or a fool to be reprimanded. She confidently proceeded. "Which of you is the imprinted one?"

Edward slowly raised his hand, nervous but not shaky. She nodded understandingly. "I expected as such. Handsome, aloof, and cunning. Young Jacob has indeed found his match." A few of the elders chortled softly, breaking the icy seriousness of the proceedings (however slightly). "The other elders and I were reviewing the historical logs of the tribal council, in the hopes of uncovering any proof of such an instance where a warrior has imprinted on another man. As it stands, no such example exists. But our historical logs also hold no record of a female warrior, and as you can see, such a thing does in fact occur." She waved her hand at Leah, who nodded in acknowledgement. The tribal woman continued.

"In such cases, we must therefore turn to the original legend to determine why such an event took place. We examined the official transcription of the first mention of imprinting, and have concluded that imprinting takes place when a warrior finds himself in the presence of the one person that truly completes him, empowers him with hope and strength, endows him with selfless purpose and responsibility, and connects him with a mate that will reciprocate his love, affection, and loyalty. Apparently, gender holds no relevance to the Spirits when selecting a warrior's imprinted one."

She turned to face Edward directly. Her eyes were soft with age, but her words were hardened with assurance."Whatever the reasons, the Spirits have paired young Black with you, a man of stone flesh and a taste for blood, because you fit those criteria. The tribe has never had any reason to condemn or condone homosexuality, and we see no reason to condemn it now that an official mandate from the Spirit World seems to have done the opposite." She clucked at herself. "Ah, but I have caught myself rambling. As outsiders, I'm sure you seek answers about imprinting. Perhaps a current warrior could explain much better than I just how it works and what it entails? Perhaps the Alpha, Sam Uley?"

She turned to Sam, who bowed his head and obliged, presenting roughly the same monologue he had divulged to the pack the night before. After he had finished, Edward spoke for the first time. "So there is no undoing an imprint?"

One of the elders knitted his brow tightly. "Absolutely not. It is set in stone on the tablet of the heart. There is no process of unmaking that which is irreversible, and to attempt such an impossible disgrace would be of the highest offense in the eyes of the Spirits, and of the elders."

Edward held up his hands in defense. "I suggested no such thing. I was simply weighing all the possibilities. I have no desire to unmake the imprinting."

The old woman, who was the sole female elder at the table, smiled a nearly toothless grin, and spoke again. "You wish to fulfill the duties of the imprinted one?" Her eyes gleamed with curiosity, and, resting her elbows on the thick table, leaned towards the cold ones with anticipation.

The room had grown so still, that a pin drop became the equivalent of a sonic boom. All waited for Edward's answer. He turned to face Alice, who grabbed his hand and nodded her head in encouragement. He turned back to the Quileutes and said, "Yes I do. Jacob imprinted on me for a reason, and it would be foolish to deny even an initial relationship to explore just what those reasons are. I intend to confront this wholeheartedly, openly, and lovingly."

The ancient elder woman closed her eyes in contentment. "You speak with great wisdom, young cold one. The good Spirits watch over you, as they do young Jacob. I, along with the elders, trust you to treat him with the utmost respect and care, as he deals with one of the more troubling traditions in our peoples' heritage. With that, I dissolve this meeting, with the following commands from the elders: that our warriors assist the imprinted one in tracking his mate as soon as possible, and that, from this day forward, these seven cold ones are to travel to and from our reservation as they please, with the few conditions that they abide by the rules set forth in the original treaty in regards to the biting of a human, and that they explicitly gain permission from the Quileute warriors before entrance into the reservation. That is, with the exception of the imprinted one, who may come and go as he pleases with the permission of his mate. Now, we would like to speak to the imprinted one alone for a moment."

The pack trailed Sam out the door, and the Cullens followed suit, leaving Edward alone with the elders. After the door shut behind Carlisle, who patted his first-bitten on the shoulder while he walked out, one of the younger looking leaders cleared his throat and spoke. "Keeping with tradition, a ceremony in which only the imprinted couple participates is performed on Akalat, known to outsiders as James Island. They receive the official blessing of the tribe, and are officially recognized as spouses, to be reunited in the Spirit World when they pass over. Despite the unusual nature of the bonding, we would like to perform it with you as well." He stumbled over his words, and even in middle age, he seemed juvenile compared to the elder woman. "That is, unless the cold ones have their own initiation rites that disavow such a ceremony. We needed to know if such a ritual is allowed by your people."

Edward smiled cordially. "The only ritual our mates perform is their mere existence, and I would be honored to join Jacob in a Quileute imprinting ceremony. If we get to that point, of course."

The woman elder spoke again. "Very well. I had a feeling that we would not encounter trouble in this matter, contrary to some views held by my counterparts." She clearly was referring to the other elders, who looked away at their mention. She narrowed her eyes, and summarily ignored them as she continued. Her high, lofty voice also contained a gravelly element that only those who hold great wisdom possess. "My name is Beverly Dobson, and my father was a warrior under Ephraim Black. I would like to know your name as well. Your last name is Cullen, I assume?" She held out her thin, shrivelled hand across the expansive table.

"Yes ma'am. Well, I interchange my first surname with Cullen sometimes, so my original full name is Edward Anthony Masen. I was present when we first signed the treaty with the Quileute nation, and I am pleased to meet you." He took her hand and shook it firmly.

She chuckled softly. "This appears to be the beginning of a long peace between the cold ones and the warriors. It seems our ancestors are ensuring goodwill and prosperity for our people. Taha Aki would be proud to know that the Quileutes no longer need to worry about terrible evil, for how can we be afraid when our once greatest enemy now travels freely within our borders with no harm done to a single man, woman, or child?" It amazed Edward, the way she spoke. She could have been a great orator back in the days of Athens and Rome, if women had been allowed such a position.

With that, she stood, thanked Edward for attending, and disbanded the gathering. Each elder shook his hand as they departed, and Edward was the last to leave the room. He walked out to find the Cullens chatting with the wolfpack. Emmett was joking around with Sam and Embry, Carlisle, Esme, and Alice were chatting with Paul, Seth, and Leah, and Rosalie was listening intently to a story that was being woven by Jared and Quil about some recent pack hunt. Edward shook his head in disapproval when he noticed Jasper sitting apart from the group, eyes glazed over and forehead wrinkled in concentration. He made his way around the group until he was standing behind Jasper. Edward leaned over and tapped him on the shoulder. "Doing your part to help with the mending of fences, I see?"

Jasper leapt a foot in the air, and Edward felt the scene shift back to the edgy mood it had been before: everyone was acting the same, yet their feelings about it had morphed, returned to the benign wariness they had possessed when the Cullens had first arrived. Jasper glared at him. "I was only trying to maximize the benefit of our visit. Jesus, don't sneak up on a man like that, I about pissed myself!"

Edward rolled his eyes at the Southern grammatical inaccuracies. "Let them handle their own emotions, Jasper. It's going wonderfully, and there is no need for an empathetic intervention." He patted his friend on the back. "Normally I'd have no problem with you utilizing your talent, but I really think that we've got this covered."

Jasper scrunched his eyebrows, but smirked begrudgingly. "I know, I know. I just don't want anything to go wrong, you know?" His thick Texan accent made his vowels stretch out and his words hang in midair. Yes, Edward did know.

Jasper truly had little to fear. The tense string between the two rival clans had relaxed considerably, and a new age of amity was visible on the horizon. But as Edward gazed at the noonday sun, he knew that they had yet to emerge from the storm. He also believed deep down in the simple rule by which the universe overwhelmingly abides: things that can appear calm on the surface can be much more complicated and treacherous when looked at more closely. He prayed silently and fervently to whoever would listen that this was an exception. He arranged to meet Sam and his pack in three hours at the stretch of border that crossed the county road, and then relaxed in silence as Esme started the car and began their short trip home.


End file.
